Sabishii Incarnation
by Lithrael
Summary: 12 years after the end of 02, Arukenimon and Mummymon continue to stumble along in their attempt to be more like good guys, helping Gennai, Koushirou, Iori and Oikawa deal with a strange menace. Complete. Sequel to Separation Anxiety.
1. Incubation

Sabishii Incarnation

* * *

Arukenimon and Mummymon are back, thirteen years after the end of 02. They have settled into a neutral good alignment for now, agreeing to help the grown Chosen Children from time to time, and Arukenimon is openly attempting to allow herself to accept Mummymon as a partner (in the wiggly eyebrows sense), but it's an uphill battle.

* * *

Chapter One: Incubation 

It was dark and cool on the road, the sky flat, empty and grey with high clouds. Arukenimon had ratcheted her seat back as far as it would go and was staring distantly up into the featureless evening. Beside her, Mummymon kept watch on the road ahead, his face innocent with the pleasurable work of driving. 

He found it strange and wonderful, that he didn't feel the need to look over at her. He knew she was there. And he knew she always would be. 

He looked over at her anyway. 

She noticed him and made a dissatisfied noise. "Eye on the road, cyclops." 

Chuckling, he obeyed, and the jeep purred away across the prairie. 

And a pastel butterfly floated over its tracks on frantic wings. 

Some time later, Arukenimon spied a television screen sticking out of the edge of the tall grass. It proved too great a lure to the sleepy Digimon, and so they packed up and locked the vehicle and returned to the Real world for the night.

* * *

Gennai breathed in the sweet-smelling steam from his cup of tea and sighed it back out, but it failed to calm his worried nerves. Something was wrong, something was off. He knew and felt this world, was in sync with it. He could tell there was a beat out of place, a flat note, a buzz. But he couldn't pin the feeling down. 

He couldn't rest. 

His investigations turned up nothing, his eyes out in the Digital World blind to what he felt. Sighing with annoyance piled on top of worry, he resolved to call on Koushirou in the morning for assistance in locating the source. 

A bright shape on the edge of his vision surprised him, almost making him spill his tea. It was one of the butterflies, the manifestations of Oikawa. Their shape was symbolic of the human's joy as a part of the Digital World. But right at the moment it seemed anything but joyful, flitting manicly before him. 

Over the years these creatures had gained more and more apparant sentience and strength, and Gennai was now certain they would become a direct avatar of the human they represented. Already he was able to understand many of the messages they wished to convey to him. He had come to trust them- to trust Oikawa- for help in watching over this world. 

But to his added frustration, Gennai found the thing shaped like a glittering Digital insect was too upset to communicate anything to him. 

Three more showed up a few minutes later. 

And they kept coming all night.

* * *

Arukenimon woke up with fuzzy eyes and smashed something near the bed that looked like an alarm clock, but the noise kept coming. She frowned and rolled over, pulling the sheets over her head, trying to ignore it, and came up against a large grey back. 

She grimaced and rolled back over, reaching for the noisy object. The copy Digivice from the Chosen Children, Koushirou's latest all-in-one device. She sighed dramatically. She couldn't believe she'd agreed to be at their whim. To _help_ them. The very thought. She sniffed and answered the call. "What do you want?" 

"Arukenimon.. Hello." Iori's face blinked onto the screen. Some of her annoyance boiled away at the sight of the young man she ocassionally admitted was her friend. 

"Hello, yourself," she continued in the same tone, getting the rest of the way out of bed. "You woke me up. What do you want?" 

"Well.." He seemed uncomfortable, reluctant to say, and she frowned. He was never like that. Not anymore. "I'm not sure. I was in the Digital World last night, and.. something didn't feel right." He frowned as if it was his fault. "I wanted to make sure you two were alright. And to ask if you've noticed anything." 

"Nothing unusual," she shrugged. "We weren't in the Digital World all night, though." 

"Oh.. I see. Well..." 

She scowled a little, his worry transfering to her. "We'll be returning after breakfast, anyway. If I see anything, you'll be the first to know." 

He smiled, far brighter than such a little thing called for, and thanked her. She hung up, annoyed. It wasn't such a big deal, her offering help. Not like she was going out of her way or anything. 

"Who was that, my dear?" Mummymon asked, up as well and still hugging his coat like a security blanket. 

"The Hida boy," she answered, digging for her hairbrush. "Checking on us." 

"That's nice. Can I have another kiss?" he asked, leaning against her obnoxiously while she tried to fix her bangs. 

She pistol-whipped him with the brush handle, though not as hard as she once might have. He backed off and rubbed his head, but she suspected it was just for show. "No. Your breath reeks." 

He shrugged and moved out of her reach towards the bathroom. "So does yours," he answered, with an affectionate, mischeivous smile. 

He disappeared around the corner and a pillow thudded into the wall where his head used to be.

* * *

Two hours and five deliciously unhealthy human breakfasts later, the two half-Digimon returned to the Digital World. The jeep was covered in morning dew, which Mummymon scowled at like it had just insulted his mother. Arukenimon caught herself about to chuckle, and shook her head instead, as her partner hastily and unnecessarily toweled his machine off. "It lasted more than ten years on its own in a forest, you know," she pointed out. "A little dew won't do a thing." 

Mummymon shrugged without looking up from his work. "I know it's not like a Real car. But... I don't know. I like to fuss over it." 

She snorted a little. "You, liking to fuss over something? What a shock." 

But he just chuckled and wiped down the passenger seat. "What would you like to do today, my dear? Driving day again? Or something else?" 

She shrugged. "The Hida boy asked us to keep an eye out for strange things." 

"You mean Iori?" 

"Yes, Iori," she snapped. 

"I mean, he asked you to call him Iori," he continued, doing his best to look innocent. 

"OK! IORI! Look, I'm calling him Iori!" 

He chuckled, and she fumed. He swept up beside her, and she slowly turned to face him, scowling. "I'm sorry, muffin. You know I love you." 

She made a horrified sneer at the term of endearment. "Shut up." 

"Aw, Arukenimon, you know it's true." 

"No, really, shut up. Stop talking." 

"-You're everything to me, my stars, my sky-" 

"_Now,_ Mummymon." 

"Like the flowers love the morning sun after a long night, I love you." 

"I like," she snapped, "the dark." 

"Oh.. well then like the bats love the approaching dark of night, I love you." 

"Bats _kill_ in the dark of night," she hissed. 

The innocence in his eye this time was genuine. "They're hungry." 

She sighed and rolled her eyes. He really deserved some violence for _that._ She couldn't resist that, could she? 

_Could_ she? 

She growled. 

She reached out, grabbed Mummymon by the front of his coat, and slammed him up against the door of the jeep. His arms shot back and he grabbed the top of the seat to keep himself from falling in. She leaned over him, fist still twisted up in his coat, and watched him blush. 

"Muh.. er.. My dear?" 

"Learn," she intoned, right in his face, "some better lines." 

"I kind of like what the bad ones get me," he replied, grinning winsomely. 

The Digivice's ring piped up shrilly, wrecking the moment. Arukenimon scowled and let her partner up. "Twice in one morning? And you thought they wouldn't pester us," she grumbled, answering the call. "What?" 

"Good morning, Miss Arukenimon," Koushirou greeted her, and skipped straight to the point. "There's an unusual.. reading very close to your current location, would you two mind having a look?" 

Aru's eyes narrowed. "And how do you know where we are?" 

"Via your Digivice, of course." 

"You mean you can _track_ us with this thing?" she spat. 

"Well, just passively... I can trangulate any Digivice's location using the relay times between it and two of our transmission sources, that's all. We aren't checking up on you all the time, if that's what you're implying." 

Arukenimon hmphd. "And I can trust _you_." 

"Yes, you can," Koushirou answered matter of factly. 

She grumbled. There really wasn't any arguing with that. 

Mummymon piped up. "Does this have something to do with whatever Iori was worried about? 

The human blinked. "Iori? I'll talk to him. Thanks for the info. Well, if you don't want to go that's fine. We'll send-" 

"No, no," Mummymon waved his hand. "We'll be happy to go. Won't we, Arukenimon?" 

She looked daggers at him. "Sounds _fantastic,_" she muttered.

* * *

The Digital Guardian continued to doggedly follow the trail of butterflies, through Gate, over field, over road. By morning there had been a huge collection of them at his home, hovering, fluttering frenziedly, a disorienting pastel storm. Worse, they were trying to project something to him, but all he felt was desperation. Then they had gone on the move. 

The butterflies seemed more excited about this last jump, and as he crossed to the last location, he saw why. It was a beach strewn with computer monitors and conch shells, with a small, glowing spring flowing into the Digital Ocean - a potent and little known source of energy. And there were butterfiles, everywhere - it looked like all of them. With his arrival, they all began to swarm together. 

His eyes widened. "No - wait," he called out. "Oikawa, stop - you can't do it like that, it won't work!" 

But they continued anyway. In the center of the glowing swarm, a faint silouhette appeared. A thin yet deep voice wafted on the air. "My..." it said weakly. He struggled to make out its words. Thought, perhaps? - no.. "Fault... My fault..." 

Gennai stared, grimacing, wishing they - he - would listen to him. "Yukio - it's ok, we'll fix things. But don't try to reconfigure yourself! You're not strong enough. It could destroy you!" 

"I have to try," the outline of a man murmured. "It's the least I can do. Or - all I deserve." 

But as the creatures packed closer and began to lose their shape to the mass of energy, the form inside seemed to flicker. Oikawa shouted with shock, and hundreds of butterflies winked out, scattering their energy on the wind. 

"Stop, damn it!" Gennai yelled. "Didn't you already learn this lesson? Let me try to help you!" 

The glittering digital insects calmed, stopped trying to force themselves together. A ghost-like image of Oikawa remained at their center, pale and translucent. He was dressed in dark guardian's robes, on his hands and knees, breathing deeply. 

"It'll be ok, Yukio," the guradian reassured him. 

Yukio shook his head. "This is my responsibility." 

Gennai frowned. "I know you feel responsible for this world, but-" 

"_No,_" he insisted, standing laboriously up, and the butterflies frenzied, packing close around him once more. "You don't understand - I have to go there!" 

Before the digital guardian could make another move, there was a bright flash and a pulse of energy. When it faded, Oikawa Yukio stood before him, pale and drawn, eyes closed, still surrounded by dozens of butterflies. His robes billowed a little in the breeze, and then he fell bonelessly to the sand. 

Gennai cursed, rushing to his side, and finding him unconcious and barely alive. He squeezed the man's cold, white hand. "Too much devotion, and not enough sense... Still the same old Yukio," he scolded, pulling out his D-terminal. 

It was time to call Koushirou.

* * *

A quarter of an hour later the Half-Digimon companions were on foot, trekking hard up the hill at the edge of the prairie, into rocky ground. "Nearly there, darling," Mummymon assured her, watching the guide projected by the little Digivice. At the top, he stopped, daunted. They were at the top of a cliff, with a forest spread out before them. 

"Fantastic," Arukenimon sighed, and shifted into her spider-like Digimon form. She took the infernal piece of technology out of her partner's hand and studied it. He changed as well, into a wiry, well-armed Undead type, watching her curiously. Finally she dropped her arms and sagged a little in defeat. "Ugh.. well, it's down there. Come on.. Get on." 

Reminded pleasantly of old times, he vaulted up onto her round back. He dodged one of her antlers as she turned to ask if he was ready. He nodded, and she jumped. 

His stomach lurched and the wind whistled in his ears, but with his companion's steady shape beneath him, he grinned. This was the life! 

They crashed through a few slim branches and Arukenimon landed expertly between the trees. A few moments passed, and then the spider woman looked annoyed again. "You can get down now." 

He chuckled sheepishly and obeyed. They reverted to their usual forms, and Arukenimon studied the device again. There was something in the air down here, something almost familiar... "This way," she led. 

They hadn't gone far when they emerged into a small clearing, where the bright sun shone down on ground that was ash grey. They stopped, and stared, equally surprised. The clearing looked just like the adjoining forest, only the whole area was grey and black. A small basalt monolith was set, leaning slightly, into the ground near the center. 

And a cluster of slimy, dark grey Digieggs was nested at the bottom of one of the trees. 


	2. Hatching

Chapter Two: Hatching

Oikawa's long, pale body lay on the sand, the remaining butterflies drifting sluggishly around it, as Koushirou watched some kind of information scroll by on his laptop. Gennai peered over his shoulder, frowning, concerned. He wanted to go and find Datirimon - the little Digimon should be by his partner's side. But right now, Oikawa needed the Guardian's help.

"He doesn't look so good," Tentomon observed. "Do you think he'll be ok?"

"I'm not sure," the human replied, concentrating on his work. "Honestly, it doesn't look good. He collected most of the energy available to him here, but he wasn't able to integrate it all. I think he may need some energy from something of his type to stabilize."

"His type?" the insect Digimon asked, "But isn't he just human?"

Gennai shook his head. "He lost much of his humanity for good when he became a part of the Digital World."

"I was thinking Arukenimon and Mummymon," Koushirou said. "They're probably our best chance for success. And I happen to know exactly where they are."

"Oh?" Gennai said. "Where?"

Koushirou projected a small map into the air in front of his laptop. "Here. I asked them to investigate an energy anomaly there, this morning."

Gennai blinked at the black square on the map grid in shock. He'd missed something? "An anomaly? I've been sensing something unsettling in the Digital World for some time now, but I wasn't able to discover anything about it. What is it?"

"I don't know," the human said, surprised. "It showed up late yesterday. As far as I can infer from the readings, it's what you would call a corrupt sector, but that doesn't really tell us anything. That's why I sent- I'm sorry," he apologized as he retrieved his ringing Digivice. "Hello? Yes? Is this Mummymon?"

After a short conversation, Koushirou snapped his laptop shut and handed it to Tentomon. "We should go there right away," he advised. "Mr. Oikawa needs energy, and something strange is going on. I need to investigate."

"So do I. All of this sounds like trouble." Gennai stepped forward to pick up Yukio, scattering the butterflies, and was surprised at his lightness. Yukio was not a small man by any standards, but slumped against the Guardian's chest, he felt just like a child.

* * *

Arukenimon made a face. The eggs looked disgusting. She certainly didn't want to go near them. And the familiar feeling was really throwing her off.

"Well," said Mummymon, "I guess this is it."

"Brilliant deduction. Do you feel what I'm feeling?"

"I think so," he said, cocking his head in thought. "That stone is familiar. Like a tiny Dark Tower. I wonder if this is a leak from the Dark Ocean?"

She hmm'd contemplatively, walking around the nine foot tall spire. "It would explain the feeling." Well, there was one thing she could do to be certain. She ran a hand through her hair, and even though she hadn't practiced in years, she moved with skill and purpose. She smiled. Then she plucked a hair.

Mummymon was too surprised to say a thing as she called out, "Spirit Needle!"

The silver strand shot like an arrow towards it. It hit and slowly sank into the spire, rippling its smooth black surface like a pool of water. Their skin pricked with the energy in the air. Arukenimon smirked smugly. Mummymon couldn't help but find her adorable like that.

A beat passed. Then another. Arukenimon's smile faltered.

"W.. What's going on, my dear?"

She narrowed her eyes, but her grin stayed angrily up. "Maybe a puccimon was too much to ask for from such a _little_ Dark Tower."

"Ah," he said, trying very hard not to look as relieved as he felt. "It failed, then? I'm so sorry, my dear.."

But she was already starting to snarl. "It wasn't me! It was this vile rock! It's clearly not a Dark Ocean artifact after all."

"Clearly not,"

"Don't patronize me!"

"Huh? But I-" he broke off, listening. "What was that?"

"What are you blathering about?" she muttered, trying to calm herself down.

"There's something.. Something's happening," he said, shrugging. He didn't even know what - he just had a feeling.

"Well, it's probably your fault."

"Oh?" said Mummymon, again the picture of innocence, "You're probably right.. The way I didn't touch anything or infuse life force into any stones was very reckless."

She rounded on him, eyes blazing. "Don't you practice your wit on me!"

"I'm sorry, my dear," he grinned in a way he hoped was disarming.

She growled and grabbed him by one of his coat buckles. "And don't call me 'my dear!'" she snapped, and with a flick of her arm, sent him flying.

He yelped in shock, yanked off his feet, but it was the slimy, cold, hollowly scraping landing that ended up bothering him. He lifted a hand, and viscid goo stretched back to the rounded shape beneath, like mozzarella. "Euuuugh," he said eloquently, and made a horrified face. He had landed in the nest of eggs.

Arukenimon winced at her unfortunate direction but was otherwise unmoved. "Stop fooling around and get out of there."

His horror turned to utter indignity. "But YOU-"

Then one of the eggs rocked beneath him. Mummymon looked down at it and yelped, then scrambled to get his footing amongst the eggs and shot back away from them. Arukenimon came over by his side to stare as it hatched.

It was a blob as big as the egg, slightly prune-surfaced, shiny black and green. It was also translucent enough to foggily see through.

"Where are its eyes?" Mummymon asked, scowling at it warily as it wobbled slightly.

But Arukenimon couldn't find any eyes either.. and something still felt wrong.

Then, soundlessly, the blob rolled forward and out of the group of eggs. Arukenimon and Mummymon blinked in surprise, watching it roll away over the black grass, then sprang to follow. The moment it rolled onto the green of the neighboring ground, they heard a worrying hiss and watched a wisp of steam rising.

They both gasped in shock at the sight of the plain black and green wireframe it left in its path.

"Stop it!" shouted Arukenimon, transforming into her Digimon form. "It's a null type!" And with that she threw Spider Thread at it.

The attack landed, but her fibers were quickly dissolved by the creature. Mummymon threw Snake Bandage the moment he was transformed, wrapping the creature with layers of tough linen. "What are we going to do?" he cried, as that too began to dissolve, even as he tried to pull the creature back.

"Keep wrapping it, stupid!" she yelled, throwing Spider Thread on top of the bandages and hauling back. "More, more!"

He nodded and attacked again and again with Snake Bandage, keeping it wrapped as Arukenimon dragged it back towards the dark area. Now that it was captured, the full situation hit Mummymon, and he didn't like it one bit. Whatever it was - a null type, an energy absorber - it was unstoppable. And definitely too large a problem for him. "Arukenimon!" he begged suddenly and fervently, "Arukenimon, we should call the Chosen Children - we should call them _right now!_"

"Just a damn minute. I can't call _and_ tow this horrible thing- HEY!" she shouted, twisting away from the clawed hand that had just picked the Digivice from her stowage space. "_Don't you ever do that again!_"

Loops of linen continued to shoot from his other hand as he poked small buttons delicately with huge, shaky claws. "Koushirou? Hello? Please, anybody.."

There was a too-long pause. Then, "Hello? Yes? Is this Mummymon?"

"_Of course it's me, you..._ Uh.. You've got to come quick and bring help. There are these eggs here, and they have null type creatures in them!"

There was an unresponsive pause.

"_They destroy everything they touch,_" he clarified.

Koushirou's eyes widened. "I don't see how such a creature-"

Arukenimon _yelled,_ loud and angrily, and Mummymon turned to see two more of the blobs had been hatched, and were rolling away towards the green grass. He pointed the Digivice's screen at them, hoping the idiot human could see. "Those! We can't stop them - nothing holds them for long. I haven't tried shooting yet but-"

"Don't," Koushirou interrupted. "There's no knowing what that will do."

Mummymon looked around in a gesture of hopelessness. "Then what DO I do?"

"Hm," he paused, thinking, looking like he was choosing something from a menu. "Well, try to keep them together, if you can't keep them contained. Just don't let any of them out of your sight, and I'll be right there."

"How wonderfully useless," Arukenimon commented, kicking one of the new blobs, which took the lovely shine off the surface of her thick-shelled leg.

He frowned, disappointed, and put the Digivice away to shoot more Snake Bandage at the slime-things, trying to corral them together. When he pulled it tight and the two new blobs touched, they joined, like a liquid. He made a daunted face. "That can't be good..."

Arukenimon sneered, walking cautiously around the new larger blob. "What ARE these? They can't be Digimon..."

It lurched towards her and wrapped around her nearest leg. She yelped and kicked at it, but it stuck tight. "Mummymon!" she shrieked.

Horrified, Mummymon dove for the creature and grabbed it, and pulled. He could pull the bulk of it away, but it stretched, stuck and resilient. He grimaced - it felt like warm oatmeal in a bag - and dug his heels in, pulling harder.

"Hurry," Arukenimon demanded, pulling back herself, helping to loosen the horrible thing by scraping it off with her other legs. It didn't hurt yet, but if it ate through the shells of her legs she knew it would, and she only JUST finished healing her legs to her satisfaction after _last_ time...

Suddenly, Mummymon realized that was going to be a problem for him, too, as his palms began to sting furiously. He made a frustrated noise and gave it a solid yank, and at last it snapped free of his companion. Before it could wrap around any part of him he threw it disgustedly back towards the other eggs, where it landed with a splat, paused, then started to roll aimlessly around again. He looked for the first one, spied it behind him, and jumped skittishly out of its way. "Are you all right, my darling?" he begged.

"Fine," she grumbled, rubbing the dull and pitted surface of her leg with one hand.

His hands were really starting to hurt now, and he inspected them to find the bandages on his hands had mostly fallen off due to the part over his palms being destroyed. His claws were essentially fine, but the pads of his gray palms were now white, wet, stinging: skinned. "Ow," he complained. At least it looked like it would heal quickly.

"Oh yes, 'we'll be happy to go,'" Arukenimon mocked sourly.

* * *

Oikawa's dreams raged chaotically on, his human mind shaking itself out after long disuse. He fretted in his dreams, trying to settle himself within them, unable to find much lucidity or control. He kept half-seeing Vamdemon in the shadows, but most of the time he couldn't connect who that was, only felt a sick fear.

Most of the important things in his life made their appearances too. Sometimes he'd turn away from his old friend, Hida Hiroki, and turn back to find him gone. He visited Hiroki's familiar grave, expecting loneliness, and found Chikara, Iori, and his Digimon there waiting for him - Datirimon, and his creations Arukenimon and Mummymon.

In this moment, a twelve year old Yukio grinned and laughed, clutching a video game controller, and elbowed his friend in the ribs. "You're gonna lose!"

Hiroki elbowed back, holding his controller away. "Nuh-uh!"

The elbowing degenerated into leaning, and in the end Yukio won from the floor, pinned halfway down under Hiroki's weight. "Ha!" he whooped, tossing his controller away and redoubling his efforts to sit back up, as his friend chuckled against him.

They both froze as they heard the door slide open. Hiroki righted himself and stared at the floor. Yukio risked a glance up into the stern face of his friend's father.

But it wasn't Hida Chikara standing there in the doorway. It was a tall man, gray, with short hair that hung in spikes in front of his sunken, dark, dead eyes. With a thrill of shock he realized it was himself.

"Oikawa Yukio," the man said, sounding smooth and confident. "How long has it been since you abandoned me? I imagine you hoped you'd never see this miserable face of yours again..."

Hiroki cut in. "Abandoned..? What are you talking about? Yuki wouldn't _abandon_ anyone!"

Oikawa turned his cold eyes onto him. "Just like you wouldn't ever leave me, is that right?"

Hiroki frowned, standing up. "Just who are you, anyway?" he demanded.

Yukio could see the far wall through his friend. He wanted to shout a warning, but his throat was frozen. Oikawa just watched with a grim expression as Hiroki noticed he was fading, cried out in alarm, and disappeared.

Yukio sat, his head bowed, feeling tears on his face, falling from his chin. The world had suddenly gotten a lot more disjointed - he wasn't sure where he was, anymore. He didn't want to look at this part of his past, this snapshot of an Oikawa who had been so hopeless and who had let evil use him so completely.

"Ah.. so you aren't pretending it never happened," Oikawa observed smugly.

"No - I was just having fun with him, ok? I know... I know everything."

Oikawa's face lost its smarmy smile. "Fun, with a memory, while _I_ who was once part of you am left utterly - listen to me, boy," he snapped, lifting his shoe to Yukio's shoulder and pushing him over backwards with it. Their eyes met, and Oikawa's icy voice continued, "utterly alone, Yukio, more alone than you have ever been."

"I didn't - I don't know what you mean!" Yukio cried, trying to get up, to turn away so he could hide his eyes again, but the foot kept him down.

"Your change of heart, Your sacrifice," Oikawa explained. "Your _wish._ Do you remember it?"

"No.." he sobbed. He knew all of this... It was why he had brought himself back: to try to set it right. Wasn't that enough?

"We said 'yes' to that monster together, Yukio - but when you changed your mind, do you know what you did to me?"

"I only wanted-"

"Your self-deception, your weakness, your hunger - these things were abhorrent to you. They had allowed you to make your ultimate mistake." He smiled righteously, leaning down. "So you pushed them down, far away from you, as you gave yourself away. Because you were ashamed. You didn't want to give _me_ to the Digital World."

"I couldn't help feeling ashamed!" Yukio cried. "Everything was ruined... My own creations were dead because of me!"

"Did you dare to believe forgetting your evils would make them disappear? No-"

"No! I just-"

"Those things lived on. And they have been lurking beneath the surface of the Digital World, alone, devoid of everything you held close when you died."

Yukio shook his head. "No..."

"You held on to all the shame for yourself, and left none for me. So I have, let's see... No shame, no love, no regrets, no hope."

"I know! I'm sorry!" the boy said, putting his hands over his eyes. "I'll fix it!"

"No," Oikawa disagreed, and everything went black. "You won't."


	3. Standing Up

* * *

Arukenimon and Mummymon are back, twelve years after the end of 02. Scouting on behalf of Koushirou, they find a small corrupt sector spawning blobs that break down and absorb everything they touch. Meanwhile, Oikawa forces himself to regain his human shape, leaving him deathly weak and in the care of Gennai and Koushirou.

* * *

Chapter Three: Standing Up 

"Um," Mummymon said as he threw his binding attack from both hands, sounding very put-upon, "Arukenimon, my lovely tomato, can you get that one over there?" 

"For crying out loud," Arukenimon muttered, and wrapped the indicated blob with another layer of Spider Thread from where she sat, annoyed, on the cool gray ground, on the opposite side of the small group of hatchling slimes. They had been managing the nest for some time now, tiring themselves out with a near constant stream of Snake Bandage and Spider Thread. Their nerves were getting raw. 

"The Chosen will come soon - they'll know what to do," he said encouragingly. 

"I'm getting tired of watching these things _eat_ my beautiful silk," she grumped. 

He sighed. "They're not getting tired of my bandages, either. Look on the bright side, at least they're not _growing._" 

"Ugh.. Well, don't jinx it," she muttered. 

A shadow passed over them, and they cringed instinctively, looking up. "An Airdramon!" Mummymon shouted. 

"That had _better_ be them," Arukenimon scowled. 

Through the treetops, they saw the flying serpent shoot past again, back the other way, and then the distinctive sound of giant insect Digimon wings filled the air. Kabuterimon appeared through the trees and made a slightly heavy landing, weighed down with three passengers. The spider woman watched keenly as Gennai put down the person he was carrying and fussed over him, while Koushirou and Kabuterimon jogged towards them. 

"Took you long enough," Arukenimon began. "Don't forget we're doing you a _favor_ out here, busting our-" 

"I'll take over for you here," the Digimon interrupted. 

"You're needed - come with me." Koushirou insisted. 

"Needed? What's this?" she scowled, allowing the Chosen to lead her back towards Gennai. 

"Mr. Oikawa attempted a full corporealization despite insufficient available resources. Now he needs some of your strength to survive," the young man said matter-of-factly. 

Arukenimon scoffed. _Oikawa?_ What was the idiot boy talking about? 

"Don't worry," Gennai greeted her, "with your help, he'll be fine." 

She looked at the man laid out before him, in shock. Her heart pounded and she felt a little unsteady, dozens of memories bubbling up to the surface of her mind. It really was... It really was him. The familiar purple trench coat was gone, replaced by dark brown Guardian's robes. The cold, hard look she was used to was gone too. He looked almost.. innocent, like this, and with a rush of cold she wondered if she knew this Oikawa at all. 

As she stood in silence, Koushirou handed her a Digivice sized object that felt warm and strangely electric in her grip. "This is a regulator," he explained, not noticing the way she was staring at her former master. "It will help you give energy to him, without putting yourself in any danger." 

"How.. how did this..." 

"Haven't I been telling you Oikawa would be back eventually?" Gennai patted the unconscious man's arm. "Looks like he decided now is the time." 

Arukenimon held the regulator out towards him. 

Gennai held his breath. He wasn't sure she would be able to willingly give up part of her life force like this, even if she wanted to. 

She looked at his ashen face, not understanding why his frailty made her feel cold and frightened. This wasn't fair - he'd been a ghost for years, and that had been fine. Now, without warning, he was back - and more a ghost of her past like _this_ than the butterflies had ever been. Everything she had spent years deciding about him was suddenly up for question again. What if she'd been wrong? 

She closed her eyes and concentrated on the regulator. After all, she didn't _need_ to understand her feelings, did she? All that mattered right now was the straightforward part - that she wanted to help Oikawa. 

Gennai was on the point of suggesting Mummymon come to help her, when the device in Arukenimon's hand began to glow. He smiled and then broke into a grin as glowing points of energy flowed from the monstrous Digimon to the pale white figure before her. 

Arukenimon opened her eyes and saw her bright success. Much to her annoyance, her throat tightened up and her eyes watered. 

"Are you ok?" Koushirou asked, as Arukenimon gave a couple of choked coughs. 

"She's fine," Gennai intervened, figuring it was a good idea to spare the spider's dignity. Koushirou shrugged, satisfied, and wandered off towards Kabuterimon. 

"Mmnh," Oikawa muttered, scowling and rolling half over. 

Arukenimon stopped, her hands hovering uncertainly. "Boss?" 

He sat partway up and blinked at her. "Arukenimon?" 

"Yes, sir." 

"Give... me your hand." 

She did, and helped him to his feet. 

He looked into her eyes, feeling like there were a million things he needed to say. "I... I can't ask your forgiveness," he began. 

"Stop," she croaked, "Just save it for later." 

"You need rest," Gennai agreed. 

He closed his eyes and shook his head, stepping towards the dark area. "No. I'm responsible for this." 

Gennai put a hand on his shoulder. "Not alone, you aren't." 

He stopped and looked at the guardian. "You have no idea.." 

"Then _tell_ me!" 

He stared hollowly at the gray and black area, wishing he'd never been born. How could he explain to Gennai, to Arukenimon, that his mistakes were _still_ haunting them? 

He sighed, looking ancient, defeated. "When - when I died... When I gave my energy to the Digital World, when I wished I could make up for my mistakes... I was a wreck. The wretchedness I felt when I realized what fate I'd led the children to, and my old feelings of loss and isolation were incorporated into the Digital World, where they festered." 

Gennai blinked. It kind of made sense - the Digital World would have been unsure of how to handle human negative energy. Arukenimon just listened, uncomfortable, not knowing what to think. 

"Finally they corrupted this sector and created this symptom of sickness, a nightmare Digital plasm, sating its loneliness and emptiness by absorbing everything. I sensed it yesterday... I knew I had to face it in person," he finished, walking towards the nest. Arukenimon and Gennai traded glances and followed him. 

Mummymon finally caught sight of his former master and gaped, dropping his hands. "Boss?" He broke into a massive grin and ran to him, grabbing a very startled Oikawa in a strong hug. "It's so good to see you! Uh.. what's wrong?" 

Oikawa's eyes were shut tight and leaking tears. He didn't feel he deserved that kind of forgiveness. "It's nothing," he managed. "It's.. good to see you, too." 

"How have you been? What was it like being a lot of butterflies? How did you come back?" 

"Please, Mummymon.. I'm tired," he said, looking miserable, and marched on towards the nest. 

The Digimon stood, confused, a hand lifted after him. Arukenimon stopped by his side and together they watched their master walk away. "He wouldn't talk to me," he said, more confused then hurt. 

"He thinks all this is because of him." 

"Oh." he blinked. "And that means he can't talk?" 

Arukenimon shook her head and didn't explain. 

Gennai was trying to get in Oikawa's way, but the man kept resolutely dodging him. "Please, Yukio," the Guardian begged as he was shouldered aside, "This can wait until you've recovered. It's too dangerous for you now." 

"Don't be foolish. You have no way to stop this. If I don't deal with it now it _will_ get out of control." 

"You don't know tha-" 

"I _do_!" he gave Gennai such a fierce look that the Guardian backed off a step. "I _know_ - because it's _me._" 

They stopped before the ponderous slimes and Gennai evaluated them distastefully. "What do you mean, it's you?" he asked, concerned. These things had grown from a cast-off part of him, but they weren't _him_ in any meaningful way. The man was confusing fault with personal responsibility, spawn with self. 

"The butterflies - they were me. _This,_" he pointed accusingly at a wobbling slime, "is me." 

Gennai shook his head, wishing Oikawa would listen to him. "Yukio.. that's not really-" 

"Gennai! Please! Leave me alone!" 

"No! Yukio! Hear me out..." 

Arukenimon and Mummymon approached hesitantly. "What's going on, Boss?" 

He hung his head. "I _will_ fix this." He seemed to be talking to himself. 

"We need to work together," Gennai pleaded. 

"Leave me _alone!_" Oikawa roared, and a faint purple aura burst into life around him. 

Arukenimon and Mummymon gasped and backed away reflexively. Gennai moved in front of them and frowned at Oikawa. "Maybe we should give him some room," he suggested, and together they backed off a few meters. Alone at last, Oikawa turned to stare at the wobbling slime. 

Mummymon looked miserable. "What's wrong with our boss?" he begged Gennai. 

"Forgive him," the Guardian said, tired. "He just.. feels too strongly." 

Arukenimon narrowed her eyes. "If that aura meant something, you'd _tell_ us, wouldn't you?" 

"It's probably just emotional energy bleeding off. He's just not ready to see the two of you yet." 

Mummymon frowned. "Why would seeing us..? 

Arukenimon growled impatiently. "We remind him of what happened." 

"But.. That's not fair! That doesn't even make _sense!_" 

Koushirou approached the others, utterly failing to notice the tense atmosphere. "There's good news and bad news," he reported. "These things are more like a phenomenon than a creature. They're incorporating a lot of matter and energy without increasing in size. Eventually they'll get full, and won't be able to move or absorb anything else." 

"And the bad news?" Gennai prompted. 

"They can probably contain half the mass of the Digital World before that happens." 

"So what can we do about it?" Arukenimon demanded. 

Koushirou shrugged. "I'm not sure. If it's possible to suspend them in some sort of energy field..." 

"Or just drop them down a deep hole?" Mummymon suggested. 

Gennai shook his head. "Allowing these things to bore straight down through the Digital World's surface would create worse problems than this." 

Koushirou shrugged. "There's little point in idle speculation. Arukenimon, Mummymon, we'll need your help to bring one of these things back to my lab, so I can get started on a solution." 

But Mummymon was worriedly watching his old boss, who was staring the largest slime down. 

Oikawa sighed like someone watching their house being demolished. "Is this what you want?" he said to it, with hollow anger. 

Mummymon realized what was going on and sprung towards him, shouting. "No - wait!" 

But he was too far away. Oikawa had just stepped into the slime. 

Mummymon cried out, horrified, skidding to a halt in front of it, as the others ran up after him. He plunged his arm in after his boss, but his claws missed their target. With a yell of pain, he yanked his arm back out, steaming, bandages peeling. He turned around and grabbed Arukenimon with his good hand, burying his face in her shoulder. "I don't want to see it," he said brokenly, "I don't want to see this..." 

But Arukenimon just grabbed the top of his head in her hand and turned it back towards the slime. 

Oikawa was floating in it, unharmed. 

Koushirou blinked. "It won't absorb him? Fascinating." 

"Fascinating!" Arukenimon yelled. "How do we get him _out_ of there?" 

A phone rang. 

Mummymon blinked, realizing it was coming from him. He patted himself down and found the Digivice, while Arukenimon stared like he'd grown another head. "Uh.. Hello?" 

"Hello, Mummymon," Iori answered. "Is Arukenimon there?" 

She grabbed the Digivice before her partner could hand it to her. "We've 'noticed' something," she snapped, and pointed the screen at Oikawa. 

Iori gasped. 

"That wasn't very tactful," Mummymon scolded quietly. 

"Are you close to a Digiport?" Iori asked urgently. 

"We're nowhere _near-_" 

Koushirou came to the spider woman's side to join the conversation. "You can port in through my laptop," he offered. "We could really use your help."

* * *

Oikawa floated, weightless and numb. He relaxed. He'd done it - satisfied the beast. 

But as he thought that, he felt a pain in his ears, like pressure. "No... we're still hungry," his own voice echoed around him. 

Shocked, he panicked. His sacrifice hadn't done anything! 

...and now he was trapped! How could he keep on making such horrible mistakes? He could feel the devouring slime creeping all over him - he couldn't breathe. 

"You won't die," his voice assured him. "We don't want to take you. You can't satisfy us." 

"Then, please," he begged, "what _do_ you want?" 

"Everything else." It sighed. "We're so hungry..." 

"This is all my fault," Oikawa said, crushed. 

"We are all your faults," it corrected. "We're so lonely... Hungry... Longing. Like you. Longing forever, but we can have nothing. Taking forever and still having nothing. Do you have anything?" 

"No," Oikawa said, miserably. Not even Datirimon could possibly forgive him for, once again, coming to the Digital World just long enough to die. 

"Then you could lose yourself here, and you will forget, like us." 

He was tempted, he had to admit it. But he'd decided long ago to champion this world, and that still took precedence over the miserable relief of giving up. 

"You LIAR," his voice hissed around him. "You have _loyalty._" There was a stomach wrenching jolt as it shuddered. "You _still_ have the hope you took for yourself! You can't lose yourself at all!"

* * *

Arukenimon was loathe to admit it, but Iori's presence calmed her nerves enough that she stopped looking daggers at anyone who spoke. It galled her that she found the company of a Chosen Child reassuring, but she couldn't help it - with the boy here, everything would be alright. At least Gennai and Koushirou didn't have that effect on her... That thought cheered her up a little. 

Iori let them get him up to speed on the situation, a thoughtful frown on his face. "Where's Datirimon?" he asked, watching Oikawa, suspended inside the blob of slime. 

"Who?" Arukenimon blinked. 

"You know," Mummymon said, "the little tomato. The Boss's Digimon." 

"He's not here," Gennai answered. "I thought about finding him, but there wasn't time. And now I'm not sure if... Well, if Yukio isn't going to..." 

Iori shook his head. "You can't try to spare a partner Digimon's feelings. Datirimon would want to be here for Mr. Oikawa, no matter what." 

Mummymon gave Arukenimon a tearful glance, and she rolled her eyes. 

"Well then," Gennai was saying, "If you don't need me right now, I'll go and search for the little guy." 

Iori nodded and Koushirou waved a dismissive hand, not looking up from his computer. "Good luck!" Mummymon called hopefully, as Gennai left the clearing. 

"Yes, good luck, now what are we going to _do_?" Arukenimon snapped. 

"Can we speak to it?" Iori asked. "If it's part of Mr. Oikawa, maybe I can reason with it." 

Koushirou frowned. "I don't think so. It doesn't seem to have any senses whatsoever." 

"It must have _some_ senses. It attacked me before," Arukenimon argued. 

Iori peered into its depths, trying to make out the details of Oikawa's face through the foggy slime. He wanted so badly to rescue him, to save him, like he had failed to do as a boy. 

He was confident the slime wouldn't harm him. This shadow of Oikawa would recognize him as a friend, or at least as a Hida. If this was sadness, if this was loneliness, he could speak to it, he knew he could! 

He raised a hand and touched its surface. He felt an electric tickle, pins and needles. 

He closed his eyes and dove inside.

* * *


	4. Learning To Fly

Arukenimon and Mummymon are back, twelve years after the end of 02. Working in the Digital World for the Chosen Children, they find an all-consuming blob of slime, the result of a glitch caused by Oikawa Yukio's negative energy. Meanwhile, Gennai witnesses Oikawa's reincarnation. Oikawa offers himself to the slime and ends up trapped inside it. Koushirou, Iori, Mummymon and Arukenimon ponder their next move- then Iori springs into action.

* * *

Chapter 4: Learning to Fly

* * *

Arukenimon roared in frustration and Mummymon's jaw dropped as Iori, without warning, plunged himself into the ravenous blob after Oikawa. Arukenimon's hastily thrown Spider Thread missed him by moments, sticking to and slowly being absorbed by the slimy entity. "What.. What is your PROBLEM?" she shouted at Koushirou, enraged. 

He gave her a blank look over the screen of his laptop. "My problem?" 

She pointed furiously at Iori and Oikawa, shadows in the slime. "You humans! 'Oh, an enemy, I know, I'll _sacrifice myself to it!_'" 

"I'm sure Iori has more of a plan than _that,_" the young man replied, returning his attention to the screen. 

"At least he's ok... like the boss," Mummymon observed, though he didn't exactly look thrilled with this turn of events, either. "Maybe he can do something from in there..."

* * *

Iori had held tight to his thoughts, entering the blob, expecting some kind of mental attack. But despite the disturbingly clammy feel of the slime around him, and the disorienting effect of not needing to breathe, it was numbly peaceful here. It reminded him of the moment of falling asleep. 

Cautiously, he reached out in the darkness, searching for Oikawa. Or rather, he tried to - his limbs responded sluggishly, and in the numb darkness he couldn't tell whether he was touching anything. 

As he strained forward, Oikawa's voice spoke in his head. "It's good to be with you again, Iori." 

The voice was unnerving, cold and hollow, but Iori was cheered. He was right! He _could_ talk to it! "Hello, Mr. Oikawa," he began. 

"We're not Oikawa... We are just lonely. But he's within us, like you." 

"I know. I'm here to help him. And you." 

"There is no helping us," it admonished sadly. 

"You could let me try," Iori insisted. 

"That would require hope," it explained, "and we have none." 

"Please... At least let me speak to Mr. Oikawa?" 

It sighed, from the depths of its misery. "Within our lonely body, two friends meet... It would bring us pain to see companionship within us when we have none." 

"But you could have it. Oikawa had it when you were still part of him, didn't he?" 

"It brings us pain to think of such things." It sighed again, sounding defeated. "Just as you bring us pain by reminding us of all we've lost. We _are_ pain. It doesn't matter." 

Iori's hand knocked into something, and he closed it around a wrist. The wrist's owner jerked away in surprise but he held tight. "It's ok, Mr. Oikawa! It's me - Hida Iori!" 

"Iori?" Oikawa's disbelieving voice called in his head, and a hand grabbed his wrist too. "What..?" 

"I'll get us out, Mr. Oikawa, don't worry." 

But Oikawa had pulled him close and was holding him tight. "Oh, Iori.. Why did you come? Now you're trapped too. This is all my fault!" He released him and roared in frustrated despair. It reminded Iori of Arukenimon. "Because of me, the Digital World is in danger again.. and you! Iori... You shouldn't have risked yourself for me. I'm just not worth it." 

The slime's voice joined in. "Lose hope, and you can lose yourself in us. We could at least be misery, together." 

Iori found one of Oikawa's hands and gripped it. "Don't lose hope, Mr. Oikawa. There's always a way. We'll find it." 

"Sage advice," a new voice interrupted, chilling Oikawa to the bone. "There _is_ always a way. And I always find it." 

"_No! You're not here! You're not real!_" Oikawa yelled. 

"I am. And guess what I can do with the power of all this misery?" 

Iori felt Oikawa's other hand close around his neck and begin to squeeze. 

And the sound of Oikawa screaming filled his mind.

* * *

Arukenimon tore a large branch out of one of the trees and attempted to use it to fish Iori out of the blob. Unfortunately, it dissolved in the devouring slime before she could so much as poke him with it. She growled. 

Mummymon looked anxiously back and forth from the hazy shapes in the slime to Koushirou's screen. He willed himself to understand the information the human was analyzing. It didn't work. "Uh, so, can you- is he-" 

Koushirou sighed with annoyance as Mummymon continued to fret behind his shoulder. "The data are relatively confusing, actually, and I'd be better able to discover what they mean if you didn't interrupt me." 

Over the next few seconds, the steady graphs and readouts that had been scrolling by began to change dramatically, and the computer made a sound that Mummymon was sure had to be an alarm. He glanced back up at the slime and nearly squeaked with shock. 

Oikawa was surrounded by the aura again, but much stronger now. It nearly lit up the whole blob, diffused through its translucent mass. One of Iori's hands was holding one of Oikawa's hands. The other was trying to pry Oikawa's other hand loose from Iori's neck. 

"What's going on!" he wailed, "He's - the boss is hurting Iori!" 

Arukenimon watched, frozen. It _couldn't_ be. She quickly snapped herself out of it and yelled at Koushirou, whose brows were now furrowed as far as they could go. "_WHAT_ IS _THAT?_ _Is that what I think it is?_" 

"No!" Mummymon cried, turning a pleading stare onto her, his claws balled up into desperate fists. "No, no, it's not!" 

"Koushirou will figure something out. Stay calm," Kabuterimon suggested loudly from the other side of the clearing, where he was still managing the smaller blobs. 

Both of the half-Digimon shot him a knife-filled glance. "CALM?" Mummymon shouted angrily, sneering with disbelief. 

"It does," Koushirou said, and then paused, holding the entire group in suspense, the only sound his lightning fast typing. "It does appear to be Vamdemon's energy signature." 

Mummymon fainted. Arukenimon grabbed him by the harness as he fell, gave him a mighty slap to wake him up, and set him on his feet. "How do we save Iori?" she demanded. 

Koushirou shook his head, his eyes never leaving his screen. "I don't know yet. I don't... I haven't had enough time," he said. 

"I could pull him out," Mummymon suggested in a dead voice. "We dissolve slowly in there." 

"Not _that_ slowly," Arukenimon snapped. "You'd be-" She blinked. "No, you can't!" 

"I can't just watch Vamdemon destroy him!" 

"I can't just watch you _die,_" she yelled back. 

"Oh, Arukenimon," he sobbed, and grabbed her in a tearful hug. "I'm sorry - but I have to tr-" He was interrupted, snatched off his feet by one of his partner's powerful arms. "There's no _time_ for this!" he pleaded, hanging helplessly in the air. 

"You're right!" she shouted at him, her face lit up with something that made Mummymon gasp. She threw him as hard as she could, turned and charged the blob. 

"ARUKENIMON!" he shrieked, soaring through the air. The moment he landed he ran after her, hot on her six swift heels. 

"Wait! Everyone, calm down! Don't be reckless!" Koushirou admonished, attention still desperately focused on his laptop. 

The two half-Digimon ignored this advice utterly, with Arukenimon and then Mummymon plunging into the hungry ball of slime, each fearless with the need to save their family.

* * *

"Stop," begged Oikawa hopelessly, while his shadow went on screaming. He tried to take control of his arms, but he couldn't affect a muscle. He couldn't even tell how hard he was s- strangling Iori. He could only feel the warmth of the young man's neck seeping through the numbness of his hands. "Please, Vamdemon, have mercy!" 

"Mercy? Heavens no!" the demon's voice dismissed sunnily. "I _need_ your pain to become stronger. Why else did you think I brought you all here?" 

Oikawa's blood ran cold. "You..." 

"I'll be happy to explain- it will hurt you _so much._" Vamdemon chuckled smugly. "As I'm sure you've guessed by now, when I vacated your body twelve years ago, I left traces - a spore of myself, if you will, embedded deep within your code. Unseen, practically powerless, but with you always." 

All this time? Oikawa felt despair welling up inside him. But no! That was just what this monster wanted! He had to take back control, and save Iori! Fighting, he tried to summon his anger instead. How _dare_ Vamdemon do this to him again? 

"When this glitch - your fault as well, and nothing to do with me, by the way - appeared... Even in your state, when you saw it, you felt horribly guilty. That guilt was the first sustenance my spore had tasted in a decade. You gave me enough strength to influence your thoughts, and you never even noticed." 

Oikawa struggled. He wished his shadow, the slime, would stop screaming! It - it _wasn't_ his fault, he was doing his best! He couldn't have known! 

"You see... You _didn't_ need to come here at all," the vampire smiled, even as his host fought him. "This glitch in the Digital World was well within the abilities of your little friends to deal with. The conviction that you alone could stop it, came from _me._ And now, thanks to your blindness, I have been fed, Iori will die, and your despair will give me all the strength I need to be reborn." 

"I won't... Won't let you hurt Iori!" 

"You lack the strength to oppose me," Vamdemon dismissed. 

And he was right.

* * *

Iori found it surprisingly easy to stay calm, probably because of how surreal this was - even by the Digital World's standards. He attacked Oikawa's thumb, trying to ruin the one-handed grip on his throat. "Mr. Oikawa!" he shouted, glad he wasn't using his voice to speak here in the slime, "Don't listen to him!" 

But if Oikawa could hear him, he didn't show it, and Vamdemon certainly didn't respond. 

"Mr. Oikawa!" 

"It's no use. He can't help you," Oikawa's hollow voice replied, while the scream faded to a background volume in Iori's head. "If you don't want to die like this, you could lose yourself in hopelessness and join us, instead. But you don't have much time." 

"Never! There _is_ always a way," Iori repeated staunchly. "You! You can absorb and break down matter and energy. You could absorb and destroy Vamdemon!" 

"What?" There was a long pause. "No... It's hopeless." 

"You could try! Please! Maybe you could do it!" 

It sighed. "It's better that we don't try. We always meant well, and only caused pain. No good can come of us." 

"You're wrong!" Iori pleaded, his blood pounding in his ears. "Even the worst parts of Oikawa, in the depths of despair and grip of evil, created worthy things. Your Digimon - Mummymon and Arukenimon!" 

"They... No. They were barely more than shells. Mere constructs." 

"They may have _started_ as simple creatures. But they were alive, and they grew! They're unquestionably real, whole... Even capable of love!" 

"Love?" Oikawa's voice repeated, doubtful. "No... they were just bonded... We made them that way..." 

"Vamdemon knew. He used their love to bring pain, to strengthen himself. From Mr. Oikawa at his worst - from _you_ - has come love!" 

There was no reply.

* * *

The screaming stopped. 

"Vamdemon?" the slime's hollow voice called out. 

"I have no business with you," he replied. "Except to enjoy your miserable existence." 

"We are miserable," it agreed. "And hungry." 

Vamdemon found the threat in its voice amusing, until he felt his strength begin to ebb away from him. He roared. "How dare you attack me? You - you're NOTHING!" 

"We are so very very empty. We'll take you and still be empty. It's _you_ that's nothing." 

Oikawa, shocked but heartened by his shadow's rebellion, tried again to gain control of his body and release Iori. He distinctly felt his arm shake, fighting to let go. 

"NO!" Vamdemon roared, feeling his strength fade even faster. No, no, no! Impossible! He roared again, hating defeat, and tried to retreat, tried to hide himself in Oikawa once more. 

But Oikawa didn't let him in to any of the places he could hide. The doubt, the guilt, the despair, that were his keys to the shadowy depths of Oikawa's subconscious... he couldn't find them. 

"HOW?" Vamdemon ranted. "You're MINE! You've never been free of me!" 

"Not for a long time," Oikawa said quietly, concentrating on loosening his grip, "but I was, once." 

"Stop! You can't defeat me! I'll make you regret this!" 

The slime laughed bitterly. "Aren't you wretched? A powerless human is destroying you, with nothing but his own flaws." 

"I can't.. be defeated," he insisted, his voice weak and strained. 

Oikawa finally pulled his hand away from Iori's neck, relief and triumph flooding through him, forcing a choked cry out of the vampire. "I won't be sad because of you anymore, Vamdemon." 

The digital monster no longer had the strength to speak. 

A few moments later, the slime sighed. 

"We were right. He wasn't very filling."

* * *

"...Mr. Oikawa?" Iori called cautiously. "Can you hear me? You didn't hurt me. Are you OK?" 

"I am," Oikawa's voice confirmed, sounding rich, deep, full. Iori was relieved to hear it. 

Even the slime sounded less miserable. "You were right. We could help." 

Iori sighed, rubbing his neck, even though he couldn't feel it anyway. "I'm glad I could change your mind," he said. 

"You didn't." 

"What? Then what..." 

"Uh... Hello," Mummymon's voice joined in. 

"Mummymon?" Iori and Oikawa chorused. 

"What am I, chopped liver?" Arukenimon snapped, annoyed as ever. "_I_ jumped in first, you know." 

"They came into our body to try to save the two of you," the slime explained. "We looked within them and saw you were telling the truth." 

"The truth about what?" Arukenimon demanded. 

"We decided not to eat them," it concluded. 

"Convenient," she said acidly. 

"Did you _want_ to be destroyed?" Mummymon asked, sounding hurt. 

"Of course not! But I guess YOU did - Why did you follow me, you moron? I was _trying_ to spare you." 

Mummymon blinked, surprised to hear her plainly say something so caring. 

"I understand, Arukenimon," Iori soothed. "You made the decision to risk your life selflessly, and then you weren't given the chance to save us after all." 

She growled. "Thanks for pointing it out!" 

"But, Arukenimon.. You _did_ save us. Didn't she?" he asked the slime. 

"Yes," it replied. "If we hadn't seen your soul, we would never have believed Iori. And we would never have tried to destroy Vamdemon." 

"..Oh," she said, somewhat stunned. 

Something touched her in the slime, and she jumped, but then it wrapped around her in a familiar annoying bony hug. "We did it!" Mummymon beamed, "and we're ok!" 

"Ok, ok," she muttered. "Hooray. Now get off of me." 

"What now?" Iori wondered. "Mr. Oikawa - Now that we're all on speaking terms with your - with this, shouldn't it have a name?" 

"A name?" the slime echoed. "You make it sound as if we were a worthy creature." 

Oikawa chuckled. "Yes, of course. How does Ishikawa sound to you?" 

There was a cold, contemplative silence. "We will respond to it," the slime said at length. 

Iori was cheered by its cooperation. "Mr. Ishikawa, will you accept our friendship and allegiance?" 

"Perhaps," it replied, sounding surprised at itself for saying so. "We aren't sure of ourselves. We had no idea we were this flexible - no idea we had any capacity for things like friendship, hope.." 

"Heroism," Iori supplied. 

"Certainly we never imagined we'd save lives," it granted. 

"Join the club," Arukenimon muttered, making Mummymon chuckle. 

"Very well. We will accept your friendship, for now." 

Oikawa smiled warmly at his shadow's turn for the better. He himself felt light-hearted, in a way he hadn't for a long time. A sudden thought struck him - Datirimon! He _was_ going to see his Digimon again! 

But here, in the slime, he could practically feel Mummymon and Arukenimon's presence, their strong feelings. They had worked hard to protect him - and hadn't Arukenimon saved his life earlier as well? _They_ were his Digimon too, in a way that was completely unique in this world. He resolved to start finding ways to show them what they meant to him.

* * *

A confident Koushirou and Kabuterimon, a worried Gennai and Datirimon, and the few dozen leftover butterflies greeted the divers when they surfaced from the wobbly blob. Oikawa and Datirimon got center stage, a happy reunion of man and tomato, Oikawa shedding a few tears of joy and Datirimon breaking all records for looking happy and adorable. The two half-Digimon, back in their human forms, stood off to the side, watching. Arukenimon tried to ignore the way it made her feel bitter and neglected. Mummymon noticed her petulant expression, guessed the reason for it, and decided to risk giving her some attention. Casually, he put an arm around her shoulder, inviting her to lean on him. 

She did. He grinned. Then Oikawa turned towards them, smiling brilliantly, and he felt her go tense and uncomfortable. 

"I'd like to introduce you," Oikawa said, holding his tomato proudly. 

Arukenimon looked into the fresh green Digimon's happy little black button eyes and inexplicably found herself wanting to stab them with something. To her intense disquiet, his expression changed immediately to one of saddened concern. 

"This is Datirimon - my partner Digimon," Oikawa began, but broke off, noticing the tension between the vegetable and the spider. 

"I hope you're not mad," Datirimon said quietly. "I know I never did anything special for Yukio like you did. I just... waited." 

She stared, her anger towards him slipping away like slimy seaweed from an anchor. "Well. Maybe I'm mad and maybe I'm not. Just watch that you treat him right, or you'll be answering to me. Got that?" 

To her annoyance, he read her like a book once again, cheerfully smiling and nodding his assent. "You bet I do!" 

Oikawa chuckled warmly. Mummymon did, too, until Arukenimon kicked her heel into his shin, but his grin stayed up, undamaged. 

Meanwhile, the blob rolled around collecting the smaller blobs into itself. Nobody seemed to mind this, so Kabuterimon reverted to his more comfortable shape and returned to Koushirou's side. 

The group discussed the remaining butterflies, which probably continued to carry Vamdemon's taint, and resolved to deal with them later. They discussed the Ishikawa-the-blob's nature and future. During this conversation, it became clear that the only way to talk with Ishikawa was to stick one's head in it. Koushirou happily started work on a way around this inconvenience. 

Iori regretfully had to depart for the real world, where he was overdue to pick up Armadimon from a lunch date with Wormmon. Arukenimon noticed that he didn't mention Ken. She snorted, amused by the boy's care avoiding the subject of Ken around her. Mummymon noticed too, only he more correctly guessed that it was Oikawa's feelings the young man was trying to spare. 

It didn't really work, though. Oikawa gave Iori a message to relay to Ken, hoping they'd meet sometime soon. He regretted the fact that he'd never apologized to the Ichijouji boy for all the suffering he'd caused. It was another line on the long list of things he wanted to make up for. 

Gennai was pleased to find his trust in Oikawa's heart so well rewarded. It was no real surprise. The Digital World had read the man's self-image and clothed him in Guardian's robes, after all. He felt honestly proud of him for coming so far, for facing his mistakes with determination, even if he was still prone to letting his angst run away with him. There were worse flaws. 

"So, Yukio," Gennai smiled, "I can't help but notice you're in my uniform. Will you be working with me?" 

"I've been working with you for over ten years," Oikawa replied warmly, "I'm not going to stop now. I... Thank you for accepting-" 

"Stop that! You don't owe me thanks, or anything else. I haven't _given_ you a place by my side. You've earned it." 

Oikawa was at a loss for words. Tears glimmered in his eyes. Gennai was struck by an unfamiliar urge to hug him, but didn't act on it. After a moment, Oikawa got a grip on himself and smiled hopefully, his whole vulnerable soul laid out for all to see. "I can give you things I don't owe you, can't I? Aren't we friends?" 

Gennai laughed, and this time he did hug the other man. "Of course we're friends, Yukio. Don't ever doubt it." 

Arukenimon took Mummymon's hat off and pretended to throw up in it. Mummymon snatched it back and hit her over the head with it, giving her an exasperated look. She stuck her foot behind his ankle and shoved him. He fell over with a comical noise of surprise. 

"Stop that," Datirimon shouted at them, adorably, "you're ruining a very precious moment!" 

"Arukenimon?" 

She looked up, wide eyed, at the sound of her master's voice, and then scowled. It was like she was two years old again. Maybe she _did_ hate her capacity for 'positive' emotion after all. 

"Will you come with me to talk for a moment?" he asked, while Mummymon got to his feet, unhurt and showing clear curiosity. 

She frowned at the way her stomach felt light and her mind quietened at the thought of getting Oikawa's full attention. Ridiculous! She'd already been speaking to him for hours! She did her best to ignore it, and followed him as he walked into the quiet of the woods. 

"I need to apologize to both you and Mummymon for practically everything," he said to the woods, then stopped to face Arukenimon. "And I need to tell you both how very important you are to me. But that's not what I asked you here to talk about, not yet." 

"Then what is your point?" she asked, feeling less comfortable all of a sudden. 

"I know you love Mummymon. And I know you're not acting much like it." 

She blinked. _That_ was the big deal? "So what? Whose rules am I breaking?" 

"And I know you're not happy." 

"Yeah, shows what you know." 

"I understand unhappiness too well to be fooled, Arukenimon." 

She pouted. 

"And I understand what a dangerous thing love can be," he pressed on. "I wouldn't blame you for mistrusting it, after you saw the kind of hurt it could cause. But you'll see why it's worthwhile if you let yourself enjoy it. Trust me, Arukenimon. I've been dealt one of the worst hands of love. But I wouldn't take back a moment of it, not if it could erase every hole in my heart." 

"Ugh. You know, I wish you wouldn't make it _so_ clear that you don't know me, trying to make an argument as dripping with sentiment as that," she snapped. 

Oikawa's eyes blazed with pure truth. "Mummymon loves you, Arukenimon. And the feeling is mutual. Don't you dare waste that." 

Ugh! That wasn't fair. She was already trying to let Mummymon closer to her, anyway. She'd admitted to herself that she liked him, she just still... Ugh. She frowned, wanting to narrow her eyes in a sneer, to say there was nothing to waste, but with the sheer force of Oikawa's feelings directed at her, she simply didn't have the nerve to lie. She found it hard to make all her hairs stand on end, so she couldn't even bristle the way she liked. "You can't tell me what to do," she managed, "Not anymore." Ugh! Why did it make her feel so bad to say that? Why did the hurt in his eyes reflect right back on to her? 

Oikawa watched Arukenimon pick up on how hurtful her rebuke was, watched her frown and look away in obvious remorse. He couldn't help but feel proud. She really had grown, and learned empathy all on her own. "You're right. I can't tell you what to do. I'm not your master anymore. You are." 

She sniffed and scowled, appalled to find herself suddenly on the verge of tears. "Ok then. I'm glad we're both clear on that," she sneered, hoping she didn't sound too choked up. 

"Crystal clear," he agreed, and sighed, looking around at the trees. "We should go back." 

"Ok," she croaked. 

He nodded, and led the way back. He didn't speak and didn't look at her, not even once. 

She scrubbed at her face, and wished he _would_ look back, so she could prove that she wasn't crying.

* * *

Mummymon and Gennai were chatting amiably about Oikawa and Arukenimon when the two returned from their walk. Oikawa caught Mummymon's curious eye and silently let him know not to bother Arukenimon just yet. She followed, looking shaken, and he had to bite his tongue to follow his boss's advice. 

Oikawa called his Digimon together and somewhat awkwardly expressed his apologies for the lack of care he'd shown them, the harm they had come to because of him (and forced himself not to argue when Mummymon said he'd always thought of Vamdemon as the guilty party, not him). He told Datirimon how much he loved his little tomato, and everything that having a partner Digimon meant to him. He told each of his creations how glad he was to have made them, no matter the purpose, and how proud they'd proved to be such good people. How he loved them like a son and a daughter (while Arukenimon, with tears in her eyes, painted her nails). And how he intended to show it from now on, for a start, proclaiming that he'd be there for them anytime they needed help or a shoulder to lean on. 

He would've gone on, but at that point Arukenimon erupted with ire, "Ok, we get the point! I'm tired of listening to this.. this confession therapy! So you want to move on - go on then, _go!_ What's stopping you? 

But he just smiled. "I think I've misjudged Arukenimon's patience. I'm sorry. We can talk some other time. It was good to see you both." 

"You're leaving?" Arukenimon asked, a little too disappointedly for her own taste. She frowned. 

"Gennai has duties, and I'm going with him," he reminded her. 

"I thought Koushirou was going to work with Ishikawa, with Gennai's help," Mummymon said, looking slightly lost. 

"Yes. I know. We'll be back tomorrow to help. Koushirou's arranging someone to look after Ishikawa until then. Unless you two would..?" 

"No thank you," Arukenimon declined vehemently. 

"I don't think she wants to be tied down," Mummymon suggested. 

"I think you'd be surprised what she wants," he said. 

"I think you'd be surprised how hard I can hit," she interjected, "you're healthy and sane now so don't think I won't throw you a mile for making fun of me." 

"I meant no insult," Oikawa chuckled. 

"I know," she scowled. "Well, go if you're going. Good luck with the guardian. I know you have a thing for brunettes." 

He smiled and thanked them, shook their hands, and walked back to Gennai. 

Mummymon gave her shoulder a little shove. "That was terrible," he scolded. 

She shrugged. "Couldn't be helped." 

He sighed and looked around. It was the middle of the afternoon now, hot and tired. "Well. Do you want to head back to the jeep?" 

"Ugh, no. Let's save that for later." 

"Ok," he conceded. 

"That eggheaded brat owes us for our help today. We'll use his computer to go back to the human world." 

"Oh! Well, ok..." He began to fidget. "What are your plans there?" 

She shrugged. "Pay to be waited on somewhere? Do I have to know?" 

"I was just wondering if... That is... My dear..." he swallowed, nervous. 

"Spit it out, Mummymon, it's hot and I'm not feeling generous." 

"Please, will you go out with me tonight, my dearest Arukenimon?" 

She stared, frowning. 

He opened his eye hopefully. "Darling?" 

"Oikawa put you up to this, didn't he?" 

"What?" he said, baffled. "No... Why would he need to? You know how much I-" 

"Ok, ok, shut up. I know." 

A whine crept into his voice. "Oh, please don't make this so confusing for me... I thought we were going to try to be a couple. That talk we had - and you gave me a kiss, you know - that was _your_ idea..." 

"Oh! I didn't realize I was _imposing._" 

"That's not what I meant," he wailed, frustrated. 

"Yes! Ok? Yes! My answer is yes!" 

He froze in shock for a long moment. "Y-yes? You mean it?" 

"Don't push your luck, you slab of meat," she snapped, grabbing his collar in her fist. 

"I kind of like what pushing my luck gets me," he smiled bashfully, his eye arch with mischief. 

"I do a terrible job of training you otherwise," she admitted ruefully. 

He leaned down and gave her a quick, joyful kiss. She didn't throw him forty yards. 

She realized she was wearing a goofy smile on her face, but somehow she didn't feel like bothering to hide it. It was her choice to smile if she wanted to, wasn't it? 

Yes... Her choice. Her own. 

Just like Mummymon.

* * *


End file.
